Forrester Blogs Category: Consumer Product Strategy

October 2010 Archive

Over the last year within the Consumer Product Strategy team here at Forrester, we’ve been spending a lot of time looking at how media companies should innovate products to build relevancy in the digital age. We’ve had many interesting conversations with media companies of every shape, flavor and size you could imagine. Each of them of course have their own unique challenges and opportunities, but one of the things which applies almost universally is the need to reassess what it is that they sell. In short, to understand what their product actually is.

In the 20th century, the answers would have appeared so obvious as to make the question look facile. ‘We sell books of course!’ or ‘CDs!’ or ‘Newspapers!’. Now though, in the age of digital delivery and on-demand access, it is increasingly apparent that those were simply the packaging in which the actual products were delivered. The product is what is delivered within those packages. ‘Content is king’ right? Well yes, but that’s only half of the equation. People didn’t just pay for the content, they also paid for the experience that the format helped deliver -- whether that be the experience of settling down on the sofa with a first-edition hardcover book, reading a double-page spread in the Sunday newspaper, or listening to the warm crackle of a vinyl LP on the living room hi-fi.

I'd like to invite you to participate in an exciting new forum for discussion: our community for Consumer Product Strategy professionals!

The community is a place for product strategists to exchange ideas, opinions, and real-world solutions with each other. Forrester analysts will also be part of the community, helping facilitate the discussions and sharing their views.

Right now, we already have discussions going on the topics of product co-creation, creating video content for your product or brand, and the effects disruptive technologies like the iPad have on product strategies. These vibrant conversations are just getting started, but they're already pretty exciting discussions.

In general, here's what you’ll find

A simple platform on which you can pose your questions and get advice from peers who face the same business challenges.

Insight from our analysts, who weigh in frequently on the issues.

Fresh perspective from peers, who share their real-world success stories and best practices.

Content on the latest technologies and trends affecting your business — from Forrester and other thought leaders

I encourage you to become part of the community:

Ask a question about a complex business problem.

Start a discussion on an emerging trend that’s having an impact on your work.

Contribute to an existing discussion thread from a community member.

Suggest topics for upcoming Forrester research reports.

Create a community profile.

Share your perspective with others.

The community is open to both Forrester clients AND to non-clients. Why not visit today?